Hatchcover actuation mechanism



May 31, 1960 w. HAMILTON HATCHCOVER Ac-TUATION MECHANISM 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 19, 1957 FIG. l

FIG. 3

INVENTOR.

WALLACE HAMILTON ATTORNEY May 31, 1960 Filed Dec. 19, 1957 w. HAMILTON 2,938,579

HATCHCOVER ACTUATION MECHANISM 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 WHIIHHUIH..

f s HHH 35 3 "21.1,

INVENTOR.

WALL ACE HAMILTON ATTORNEY HATCHCOVER ACTUATION MECHANISM Wallace Hamilton, Bentleyville, Ohio, assignor to Cleveland Pneumatic Industries, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Filed Dec. 19, 1957, Ser. No. 703,810

6 Claims. (Cl. 160-188) This invention relates to power actuated cover mechanisms and more particularly to a power actuated hatchcover system adapted to cover the hatchways of ships and the like.

lt is an important object of this invention to provide a mechanism for producing relative rotation between two panels or doors through a 180 angle.

It is another object of this invention to provide a new and improved power actuated folding door system.

lt is still another object of this invention to provide a new and improved power actuated hatchcover system for ship hatchways.

Further objects and advantages will appear from the following description and drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a typical hatchcover to which this invention is applicable;

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the hatchcover shown in Figure l showing the cover elements in both the closed and open positions;

Figure 3 is a schematic plan view showing the general arrangement of the actuating mechanism;

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevation showing the position of the actuating mechanism when the cover is closed;

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4 showing the position the elements assume at an intermediate opening position;

rFigure 6 is a view similar to Figures 4 and 5 showing the position the elements assume in the fully opened position; and,

Figure 7 is a schematic illustration of the control valve mechanism for the actuator system.

Referring to Figure l a hatchcover incorporating this invention is normally formed with a plurality of panels or pontoons 10, 11, 12 and 13 which are positioned in a side-by-side relationship and cover a ships hatchway when they are closed. In the illustrated hatchcover there are four panels, however, it should be understood that the size of the hatchway and the stowage clearances adjacent thereto determines the number of panels used in a particular installation. In the embodiment shown the panels and 11 are connected by a pair of hinges 14 for relative rotation around coaxial hinge axes 16 and the panels 12 and 13 are similarly connected by a pair of hinges 17 for relative rotation about coaxial binge axes 18. The panel 10 is hinged to the deck or coaming 19 of the ship by a pair of hinges 21 for rotation around coaxial pivot axes 22 and similarly the panel 13 is connected to the deck 19 by a pair of hinges 23 for rotation around coaxial pivot axes 24. Thus the panels are divided into left and right pairs wherein the left pair comprising the panels 10 and 11 can be rotated to the phantom position as shown in Figure 2 at the left end of the hatch- .way, and the right pair comprising the panels 12 and 13 can be rotated to the phantom position at the right end V-of the hatchway. As mentioned previously, this structed States Patent O ICE the other end of the hatchway by a simple re-arrangement of the hinge connections.

The panel 11 is provided on each side thereof with a support arm 27 on which is mounted a roller 26 which rolls along a track -28 on the deck 19 to guide the right end of the left pair of panels in a horizontal plane. Similarly a roller 29 is mounted on each side of the panel 12 by a support arm 31 and is adapted to roll along a track 32 mounted on the deck 19 which track is offset from the track 28. The opening of the hatchway is accomplished by producing relative rotation between each pair of panels around their respective hinges 14 and 17 which causes the rollers 26 and 29 to move along their respective tracks until the panels assume the phantom position of Figure 2. A comparison of the closed and open positions will show that each pair of panels must rotate through a full from the closed to the open position so the mechanism for power operating the hatch system must be capable of producing 180 of relative rotation between the panels.

Each of the panels is formed with a relatively heavy upper plate 35 which is stilfened by beams and struts, not shown, to give the panel suicient structural strength. The upper plates 35 cooperate to form a continuous upper surface when the panels are closed so it is not necessary to close the lower surface of the panel. Therefore the lower surface of the panel is an open grid formed by the stiffening beams and struts. It will be understood that these panels will have to be arranged to provide adequate strength and in addition provide support for the actuating mechanism described below. However, since the particular beam structure will vary widely with dierent applications, it is not critical to this invention and is not shown.

In order to provide the folding movement of the panels each pair of panels is provided with an actuating mechanism shown in Figures 3 through 6. Because the actuating mechanism is similar in each pair of panels only the system used to operate the pair of panels 10 and 11 will be described in detail with the understanding that the panels 12 and 13 have a similar but opposite mechanism. As described above the two panels 10 and 11 are pivotally connected by hinges 14 for relative rotation around a pivot axis 16 between the'position of Figure 4 at which time the hatchway is closed and the position of Figure 6 which is the open position. To produce relative rotation between the panels around the pivot axis 16 a plurality of uid motors are provided which include similar rst stage uid motors 33, each of which comprises a cylinder 34 pivotally connected at 36 to a bearing pad 37 which is in turn supported on the underside of the upper plate 35 of the panel 10 and a piston 3S pivotally connected at 39 to a bearing pad 41 mounted on the underside of the plate 35 of the panel 11. When fluid under pressure is supplied to the left end of the cylinder 34 through a pressure line 42 and the right end of the cylinder is vented through a vent tube 43 a force is produced on the piston 38 urging it to the right producing rotation of the panel 11 in a clockwise direction relative to the panel 10. Normally two first stage iiuid motors V33 will be utilized and mounted in laterally spaced relationship as shown in Figure 3, so that the forces applied to the panels will be symmetrical along the hinge axis 16. The number and size of the motors is determined by the force required to open the panels which is at a maximum in the initial opening movement.

Preferably the first stage fluid motors 33 are mounted adjacent to the plate 35 and parallel thereto with the pivot 39 near the edge of the panel 11 adjacent to the panel 10.

Because the iluid motors 33 cannot produce a full 180 of relative rotation between the panels 10 and 11 a second stage iluid motor 44 is utilized. This secondary uid motor is preferably mounted between the primary motors l 33 as shown in Figure 3 and includes a cylinder 46 pivotally connected at 47 to a bearing pad 48 mounted on the underside of the plate 35 of the panel 16 and a piston 49 pivotally connected at 51`to `a bearingpad v52 which is mounted along the lower surface of the panel 11. Because of this mounting with the cylinder 46 pivoted adjacent to the upper surface of the panel and the piston 49 pivotally connected adjacent to the lower surface of the panel 11 the second stage fluid motor is inclined relative to the panels and to the iirst stage fluid motors 33. The cylinder 46 is provided with the usual pressure lines 53 and 54 which can be connected to the motor control system described below in the conventional manner.

In operation when the hatchway is to be opened fluid under pressure is supplied to the cylinder 34 through the pressure line 42. This produces extension of the piston 38 to start the opening movement by producing j relative rotation between the panels 10'and 11 around the hinge axis 16. Depending upon the design requirements it may be desirable to concurrently pressurize' the left endV of the cylinder 46 to produce extension of the piston 49 to assist in the initial opening operation. However, in some cases both of the pressure lines 53 and 54 will initially be connected to the reservoir return so that the uid motor 44 does not loperate during the initial opening operation. When the elements have reached the partially opened position shown in Figure 5Y the line of action of the second stage uid motor 44 has passed through the hinge axis 16. Those skilled in the art will recognize that when the line of action of the uid motor 44 intersects the hinge axis 16 the uid motor will be in a dead center position yand not capable of producing further torque. However, as the line of faction of the first stage motor 33 :approaches the hinge `axis 16 the viiuid motor 44 moves to a position where it can develop torque around the hinge axis 16 when fluid under pressure is supplied to the pressure line 54 causing retraction piston 49 to the left and consequently produce clockwise torque around the hinge axis 16. Because the rst stage uid motors 33 are out of phase with the second stage uid motor 44 the first stage uid motors are still capable of producing a torque by extensions of the pistons 38.

As theV elements move beyond the position of Figure 5 Y toward the fully opened position of Figure 6 the line `of action of the first stage uid motors 3 3 pass throughY the hinge axis 16 at which time the rst stage uid motors are not capable of producing torque *aroundV thea'xis. By the time tlL's condition is present, however, the second stage uid motor 44 has suflicient torque to continue relative rotation between the panels 'to the fully opened position of Figure 6. Here again the control means are arranged so that the pressure line 42 is disconnected from the source of pressure and connected to the reservoir return as the iirst stage uid motors 33 move through their dead center position.

VIn most cases the uid connections to theirststage ilu-id motors 33 will not be reversed as their motors move through their dead center positions because the torque required to complete the opening movement is not suiijciently large to require the `additional torque in the later stages. This is because the torque required to open'the panels drops to substantially zero when the panels reach the fully opened position so a single second stage fluid pressure lines 54 and 42 to the reservoir return. When these uid connections are made the iiuid motor 44 will initiate the closing movement of the panels. Once the panels have moved away from the fully opened position their weight will tend to cause them to return to the closed position. Because the iiuid motor 44 provides suicient relative movement between the panels to move them to a position wherein the weight will continue the closing operation,` it is not necessary to use double-acting first stage uid motors 33. In fact it is desirable to meter' the iiow out of the pressure line 42 during the closing operations to prevent the panels from closing too rapidly.

Because the rst stage fluid motors 33 are out of phase with the second stage uid motor 44 the fluid motors pass through their dead center'positions at different points in the opening cycles so torque can be produced during the entire cycle. In other words as the torque producing capability of the tirst stage uid motors 33 approaches zero the torque producing ability of the second stage fluid motor 44 starts to increase so that adequate torque is produced during the entire operation. Y Y

To control the operation of the iiuid motors I Vutilize a sequence valve for each stage. The control system is shown schematically in Figure 7 wherein a pump 61 supplies fluid under pressure to a four-wayvalve 62 which in turn connects to the uid motors through a sequence valve 63. For illustrative purposes the system used to Vcontrol the second stage fluid motor 44 is the one shown. The sequence valve 63 is arranged to connect the pressure line 53 with one of the controlled pressure lines 64 from the four-way valve 62 and the pressure line 54 to the other controlled pressure line 66 when Ythe sequence valve is in the position shown. However, rotation of the valve element 67 of the sequence valve 63 at the phantom position can isolate the two pressure lines 53 and 54 from the vfour-way valve 62 and connect both of these lines of a reservoirY return 68. When the sequence valve is in this operated position the second stage fluid motor 44 is inoperative. This would be the Ytype of sequence valve which would be used if the second stage uid motor 44 is not used in the initial phase of opening operation. If it is to be used during the initial phase the sequence valve 63 would merely be a typical fourway valve which would reverse the uid connections be- Vtween the pressure lines 53 land 54 and the control pressure lines 64 and 66 as the uid motor passes through its dead center position. Referring again to YFigure 4 the sequence valve 63 is mounted on the panel 10 and is provided with a control arm 69 which is engaged by a lever 71 mounted on the panel 11 as the second stage iluid motor 44 passes through its dead center position. The engagement of the lever 71 with the control arm 69 is arranged so that the sequence valve 63 is operated to change the connections to the second stage fluid motor 44 as this motor passes through its dead center position. A second sequence valve 72 would be provided in the control circuit for the rst stage uid motors to change Ythe uid connections thereto asthe rst stage uid motors pass through their dead center` position. Here again the sequence valve 72 is provided'with a control arm 73 which is engaged by the lever 71. If the iirst stage uid motors are merely single acting the-second sequence valve 72 is arranged to connect -the pressure lines 42 to the reservoir return 68 as these motors pass Vthrough their dead center positions. In'normal practice vention.' Therefore, except insofar Vas they are claimed in the appended claims, structural details may be varied widely without modifying the mode of operation. Accordingly, the appended claims and not the aforesaid detailed description is determinative of the scope of the invention.

I claim:

l. A folding closure comprising a pair of panels pivoted for relative rotation about an axis between a closed aligned position and an open position 180 of relative rotation from said closed position, first and second stage liuid motors having pivotal connections to each of said panels, each motor including piston and cylinder elements axially movable relative to each other under the influence of uid under pressure to effect said relative rotation, the axis of said motors being inclined relative to each other, and controlled means connected to said motors mounted on said panels and operated by movement thereof sequentially changing the operation of said motors as each motor moves through a predetermined position.

2. A folding closure comprising a pair of panels pivoted for relative rotation about a first axis between a closed aligned position and an open second position 180 of relative rotation from said first position, rst and second stage uid motors having pivotal connections with each of said panels, each motor including piston and cylinder elements axially movable relative to each other under the iniiuence of fluid under pressure to effect said relative rotation, the axes of said motors inclined relative to each other, source of uid under pressure connected to said motors, and controlled means connected to said motors mounted on said panels and operated by movement thereof sequentially changing the operation of said motors as each motor moves through a predetermined position.

3. A folding closure comprising a pair of panels each having spaced inner and outer surfaces, a hinge connecting said panels for rotation around a pivot axis substantially adjacent to said inner surface from a first position wherein said panels are aligned to a second position 180 of rotation from said first position, a first uid motor connected to one panel adjacent to said outer surface having an output element movable in response to fluid under pressure mounted on the other of said panels adjacent to said outer surface, a second fluid motor mounted on said one panel adjacent to said outer surface having an output element movable in response to fluid under pressure mounted on said other panel adjacent to said inner surface, and control means connected to said motors mounted on said panels and operated by movement thereof sequentially changing the operation of said motors as the axes thereof intersect said pivot axis.

4. A folding closure comprising first and second panels, a pivot connecting said panels for relative rotation around a pivot axis between a closed position and an opened position, a first piston and cylinder fluid motor, said cylinder being pivoted on said first panel and said piston being pivoted on said second panel, and a second piston and cylinder uid motor, said second duid motor cylinder being pivoted on said first panel and said second uicl motor piston being pivoted on said second panel, the axes of both of said motors extending on one side of said pivot axis when said panels are in said closed position and extending on the other side of said pivot axis when said panels are in said open position, the axis of said second liuid motor intersecting said pivot axis before the axis of said iirst fluid motor as said panels move from said closed to opened positions.

5. A folding closure for a hatchway comprising first and second panels, a pivot connecting said panels for relative rotation around a pivot -axis between closed and open positions relative to said hatchway, a first piston and cylinder fluid motor, said cylinder being pivoted on said first panel and said piston being pivoted on said second panel, a second piston and cylinder fluid motor, said second fluid motor cylinder being pivoted on said first panel and said second fluid motor piston being pivoted on said second panel, the axes of said uid motors extending on one side of said pivot axis when said panels are in said closed position 'and extending on the other side of said pivot axis when said panels are in said open position, the axis of said second fiuid motor intersecting said pivot axis before the axis of said first fluid motor, and sequence valve means connected to each of said fluid motors and a source of pressure duid changing the operation of said fluid motors as each motor moves through a position wherein its axis intersects said pivot axis.

6. A hatch cover system for closing a hatchway comprising rst and second panels, a hinge connecting one of said panels to one side of said hatchway, a pivot connecting said panels for relative rotation around a pivot axis between closed and opened positions, guide means on the other of said panels movable along the plane of said hatchway, a first piston and cylinder duid motor, the cylinder of said motor being pivoted on said rst panel and the piston being pivoted on said second panel, a second piston and cylinder fluid motor, said second fluid motor cylinder being pivoted onsaid first panel and said second fluid motor piston being pivoted on said second panel, the axes of said motor extending on one side of said pivot axis when said panels are in said closed position and extending on the other side of said pivot axis when said panels are in said open position, the axis of said second fluid motor intersecting said pivot axis before the axis of said first uid motor as said panels move from said closed to opened positions, and sequence valve means connected to each of said uid motors and a source of pressure fluid changing the operation of each of said fluid motors as each motor moves through a position wherein its axis intersects said pivot axis.

France May 14, 1952 (lst addition to Patent 971,979) 

